Key Takeaways
- An attractive job posting goes far beyond salary: company culture, flexibility, and career growth opportunities are now decisive factors.
- Disclosing a transparent salary range significantly increases the volume of qualified applications.
- A clear and honest job title generates more applications than a “catchy” but vague one.
- The best job postings describe what the candidate will experience, not just what they will do.
Why Your Job Posting Isn't Attracting the Right Candidates
The problem isn't always the job itself. Often, it's the job posting that doesn't accurately reflect what the company really has to offer. Here's why and how to fix it.
The market has changed: what candidates really want today
According to our data, job seekers no longer base their decisions solely on compensation. They evaluate the company’s values, benefits, and career growth opportunities before even looking at the figure at the bottom of the listing.
And if your offer doesn’t meet these criteria from the very first lines, they’ll move on to the next one in under 30 seconds.
The most common mistakes in a job posting
Most of the job postings we see suffer from the same shortcomings:
- A made-up job title (“Code Ninja” or “Finance Guru”) that doesn’t show up in any Google search
- A lengthy list of skills that discourages qualified candidates
- No salary range, which immediately raises suspicion
- A description that spends 80% of the text talking about the company and 20% about the candidate
- An opaque recruitment process: “We’ll get back to you shortly”
These mistakes signal a sloppy candidate experience even before the first interview.
The 7 Pillars of an Attractive Job Posting
An effective job posting relies on a clear structure. Here are the 7 components that top recruiters consistently include, and that most companies still overlook.
1. A precise and honest job title
Use the actual job title. “CPA Financial Controller” or “Full-Stack React/Node.js Developer” are far more effective than “Financial Talent” or “Development Wizard.”
A precise title shows up in searches. A made-up title does not.
2. A Transparent Salary Range
Yes, posting a salary can be daunting for many employers. Yet it’s one of the most powerful tools for quickly attracting qualified candidates.
Why? Because it shows respect. The candidate doesn’t waste their time and neither do you.
To set your range with confidence, rely on reliable market data. Our industry-specific salary guides (finance, IT, supply chain, engineering) provide a solid benchmark to help you gauge your position within the Montreal market.
3. Company Culture in Concrete Terms
“Dynamic and friendly environment.” That phrase means nothing. What really makes an impression on a candidate is a real story.
Example: “Every Friday at noon, the finance team gets together for an informal lunch. We talk about everything except the numbers.”
That’s the kind of company culture that makes people want to join.
4. Benefits Beyond Salary (Remote Work, Quality of Life at Work, Flexibility)
By 2026, remote work and flexibility are no longer perks, they’re prerequisites for many candidates. Be specific:
- Three days of remote work per week? Say it.
- Flexible hours? Say it.
- Annual training budget? Say it.
Every concrete benefit you mention is another selling point.
5. Real career advancement opportunities
“Opportunities for advancement” is vague. Instead, describe a real career path: “Our most recent controller was promoted to finance director within three years. ”
It’s this kind of concrete evidence that turns a curious candidate into a motivated one.
6. A clear and respectful recruitment process
Describe the steps. Provide a response timeline. Specify the interview format (video, in-person, case study).
Passive candidates (those who aren’t actively looking but are open to opportunities) would apply more often if they knew exactly what to expect.
7. A simple and reassuring call to action
End with a personal touch: “Send us your resume; we take the time to read every application and will respond within 5 business days. "
Simple. Respectful. Effective.
Once the job posting is published, what comes next matters just as much as the text itself. Knowing how to convince a candidate to accept your job offer is a step that shouldn’t be overlooked, especially when the candidates you’re targeting receive multiple offers at the same time.
Should you include the salary in a job posting?
The short answer: yes, unless there are very specific legal or strategic constraints.
In the first quarter of 2025, the average hourly wage for job openings in Quebec stood at $28.80, while the average for salaried positions was $34.62. This gap illustrates precisely why candidates are wary: job openings often pay less than the average. Listing the salary proves that you’re within the right range.
For specialized roles (CPA, IT, supply chain), our internal data clearly shows that an offer without a salary range is often overlooked in favor of a competing offer that does include one.
Here are the reference ranges for Greater Montreal in 2025:
Salary Ranges by Sector - Greater Montreal 2025
| Position | Entry-Level | Mid-Level | Senior |
| Controller (CPA) | 90 – 100 k$ | 100 – 120 k$ | 120 – 160 k$ |
| FP&A Analyst (CPA) | 75 – 85 k$ | 85 – 105 k$ | 105 – 130 k$ |
| Chief Financial Officer (CPA) | 130 – 150 k$ | 150 – 180 k$ | 180 – 250 k$ |
| Full-Stack Developer | 90 k$ | 100 k$ | 120 k$ |
| IT Business Analyst | 80 k$ | 90 k$ | 120 k$ |
| Procurement Manager | 110 k$ | 130 k$ | 140 k$ |
| Production Engineer | 80 k$ | 90 k$ | 105 k$+ |
Source: Fed Group, Greater Montreal 2025 market data. Indicative ranges, subject to variation based on company size and responsibilities.
Want to compare your offer to the market in detail? Check out our salary guides for a comprehensive benchmark.
Effective Job Postings: How They Vary by Industry
A good job posting isn’t one-size-fits-all. What attracts a CPA won’t necessarily convince a full-stack developer or a logistics planner. Here are the industry-specific factors you need to know for a solid recruitment strategy.
Finance and Accounting: What Attracts a CPA
CPAs (with 2 to 5 years of experience) are among the most sought-after professionals in the Quebec market. According to Fed Finance data, they prioritize company values, benefits, and career advancement opportunities over higher salaries.
What makes the difference in an offer for a CPA:
- Clarity regarding the role within the financial structure (Who do they report to? What is the scope of decision-making?)
- The tools used (ERP, consolidation software)
- A healthy work culture, no unmentioned 70-hour workweeks
IT: How to Hire a Full-Stack Developer in 2026
On average, developers receive 3 to 5 job offers per month on LinkedIn. Your job posting needs to stand out in terms of the technical stack and quality of life.
What catches the eye:
- A specific tech stack (React 18, Node.js, AWS, etc.), not a list of 25 desired technologies
- The level of autonomy in technical decisions
- The remote work and continuing education policies
Supply Chain and Engineering: Specific Attractiveness Factors
According to data from Fed Manutech and Fed Supply, candidates in engineering and logistics are more responsive to:
- The work environment and modern facilities
- Alignment of values, particularly regarding the transition to Industry 4.0 and green technologies
- The company’s stability and long-term vision
Use AI to Draft Your Proposal Without Losing Authenticity
AI can save you valuable time on structure and wording. But it has one major blind spot: it doesn’t know your company.
Here’s how to use it wisely:
- Use AI for structure: generate a proposal outline, rephrase a complex job description
- Keep control of authenticity: company culture, anecdotes, and tone can’t be generated
- Always proofread with a human eye: an unedited AI-generated job posting sounds hollow. Experienced candidates can tell right away
AI is a good writing assistant. But your candidate experience remains 100% human.
What Fed Group Does Differently for Your Hiring Needs
At Fed Group, we don’t just send you a stack of resumes and hope for the best. We first take the time to understand the role, the company culture, and the real challenges of the hiring process before we even begin our search.
The result? A 99% client satisfaction rate and 100% relevance of candidates in 2025.
Our specialized consultants (Fed Finance, Fed IT, Fed Supply, Fed Manutech) speak the same language as you and the same language as your candidates. That’s precisely what makes the difference between a decent candidate and the right candidate.
Do you have a position to fill? Let’s talk, we’ll help you craft an offer that truly stands out.
FAQ
What is the ideal length for a job posting?
Between 300 and 500 words is the optimal length to keep the candidate’s attention without losing their interest. Every line should serve a purpose. If a sentence doesn’t say anything specific about the position or the company, delete it.
How can you make a job title more appealing?
Include the exact job title, the specialization if relevant, and possibly the industry. This improves your visibility on job search engines and naturally filters out unqualified candidates.
Job Postings and Employer Branding: What’s the Connection?
Your job posting is the first page of your employer brand. It’s often the first point of contact a candidate has with your company before your website, before Glassdoor. A well-written, honest ad that shows what you truly have to offer says a lot about how you treat your employees. Conversely, a generic or overly corporate ad sends a negative signal about the candidate experience.
Can I use a generic job posting for all my positions?
It’s tempting to save time, but it’s counterproductive. A CPA Controller and a Finance Director do not have the same expectations, motivations, or decision-making criteria. A basic template is useful for structure. But the content (culture, benefits, career prospects, hiring process) must be tailored to each role. This customization is what makes the difference between a job posting that generates 2 applications and one that generates 20.
Sources
Quebec Institute of Statistics - Job Vacancy and Wage Survey, Q1 2025: https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/communique/resultats-enquete-postes-vacants-et-le-salaire-premier-trimestre-2025
